Ditching-machine



(No Model.)

S. M. MURRAY & J.- G. STRYKER.

DITGHING MACHINE.

No. 311,668. Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

WITNESSES INVENTOIB, I

lhairnn "ra rne are? r tripe,

SAMUEL H. MURRAY AND JOHN C. STRYKER, OF TIPTON, IOWA.

DlTCHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,668, dated February 3,1885.

Application filed May 21, 1884. (No model.)

i" 0 (6 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, SAMUEL M. MURRAY and JOHN G. S'rnYKnR, ot' 'lipton, in the county of Cedar and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Ditching-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in ditching-machines; and it consists of the co n1- bination and construction of parts, substantially as herei a after full y set forth and claimed.

Figure 1 is a plan View of our improved ditcher. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the ditcher; and Fig. 3 is a trans verse section on the line :0 .r, and looking in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1.

IVe make a suitable rectangular frame consisting of two parallel timbers, a, placed as wide apart as the desired width of the ditch at the top, or thereabout, and connected by cross-bars b and the rear end timber, 0, and in advance of the rear timber, c, we arrange a U-shaped sheetanetal scoop, d, attaching the upper edges of the scoop to the side timbers, respectively, in any approved way, as by turning the flanges 6 over the upper sides of the timbers and spiking or bolting them there on. 'We make the scoop of equal length on the bottom and lower portions of the sides as on the top, for rubbing, smoothing, and packing the: sides and bottom of the ditch better than if said parts were shortened to the line of the slide or chute f, up which the earth is forced to be raised out of the ditch, and we connect cutters g to the sides of the front end of the scoop near the bottom, extending thence forward and upward to the timbers a in suitable inclination for pressing down theweeds, grass, roots, and the like, so as to cut them effectively and prevent them from clogging in front of the vertical edges of the scoop.

For the chute or slide f, for raising up the earth out of the ditch, we fit in a metal plate, f, suitably inclined and curved, and extending from side to side of the scoop from bottom to top, with a backing, h, of wood or other suitable material for supporting it against the pressure of the earth, and at the rear upper end of this chute we arrange a double moldboard, '6, to receive the earth from the chute and discharge it each way from the center alike on both banks of the ditch, and so as to balance the lateral thrusts and prevent inclining the machine to one side, as in the case of discharging on one side only. Over the middle of the scoop, near the front end, we arrange a rolling colter, j, to cut the sod and facilitate the dividing of the earth-slice by said double mold-board for so discharging on each bank. \Ve arrange a shoe or runner, If, on a pivot, Z, between the timbers a, near the front end, to run on the ground in advance of the scoop, for a gage to regulate the depth of the scoop by means of an adjustingscrew, m, fitted in bar b, to raise and lower the frame on the shoe, and at the front end of the frame we arrange a double mold-board, n, to clear away the sod, trash, and other matters, and smooth-level the surface in advance of the shoe.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with the U-shaped scoop d and its carryingframe a, of the chute f,with its lower forward end resting in the lower part of the scoop, near its forward end, said chute having its upper flared end disposed at the upper side of the frame a, and the mold-board. z, of an approximately \l-shaped cross'section at its lower end, with its upper end formed with an outwardly-curved wing at each side of its center, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with the U-shaped scoop d and its carryingframe a, of the chute f, disposed within said scoop, the mold-board t, of an approximately V-shaped cross-section, with its upper end formed with an outwardly-curved wing at each side of its center, the inclined cutters g, with their outer upper ends connected to said frame, and their lower inner ends connected to the front edges of the scoop (l, and. the colterj, hung about centrally of the cutters g g, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The ditching-machine comprising the carrying-frame, the U-shaped scoop (7, provided with cutters g, chute f, disposed in the latter, with its upper flared end arranged at the lower tapered end of the double mold- 5 board 2', the colterj, disposed intermediately ofthe cutters g, the adjustable shoe k m I), and the double mold-board n at the front end of the carrying-frame, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

SAMUEL M. MURRAY. JOHN G. STRYKER. Witnesses:

W. N. TREIOHLER, J. D. SHEARER. 

